➤ Arrival Beijing - Transfer to your hotel and meet your guide:

➤ Itinerary: We will be greeting you at the airport from where you will be transferred by private car and English speaking guide to your hotel. The approximately 1 hour journey to your hotel is a perfect opportunity to ask the guide any initial questions you might have. The guide will provide assisstance with checking in to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax from the long flight or start to explore the city with the help of your personalised Trip Guidebook we send you before the trip. The area around your hotel is perfect for an introductory walk to soak up the local atmosphere.

➤ Overnight at the Days Inn Forbidden City 3*. A good standard modern hotel with some character and an unbeatable location close to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Beijing - Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs:

➤ Itinerary: Today we will be showing you one of China’s most famous sights - the Great Wall. At over 4,000 miles long there is a lot of Wall to see but we will be taking you to one of the better and less touristed sections at Mutianyu 70km from Beijing. The drive to the wall averages 2 hours and will take you from your hotel in the centre of Beijing through the rapidly expanding suburbs and on into the beautiful mountainous countryside to the north east of the city. The Mutianyu section dates back to the 6th century but was largely rebuilt in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the best preserved sections of the wall largely due to the high standard of construction. The views from on top of the wall are spectacular and helped by Mutianyu having a high density of watchtowers which give a good idea of the scale of the wall as it passes over the mountain ridges. Lunch will be in a restaurant close to Mutianyu village.

On the way back to Beijing we will stop at the Ming Tombs, the burial place of 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors between 1368 to 1644AD some of whom oversaw the construction the the Great Wall section you saw earlier today. The tombs are approached along the Sacred Way lined with giant marble figures and animals who guard the tomb area. After you will be driven back to your hotel with the evening free.

➤ Overnight at the Days Inn Forbidden City 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Beijing - Free day to explore the city:

➤ Itinerary: Today is a free day to further explore the wealth of sights Beijing offers. The city also offers ample opportunity to shop in markets such as Hongqiao, the Silk Market or our favourite, the vast Panjiayuan antique market (open all week but best at weekends). For those looking for something a bit more sedate we would highly recommend Ho Hai lake for a wander through this area’s ancient residential Hutongs which offer a great opportunity to absorb local culture combined with rest stops with a wide range of small cafes, bars and restaurants nestled amongst the hutong residences. For a more cutting edge experience and perfect for art lovers the 798 district to the east of the city offers an impressive array of galleries, cafes and restaurants.

➤ Overnight at the Days Inn Forbidden City 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Beijing to Shanghai by bullet train:

➤ Itinerary: After breakfast make your own way to the station for the bullet train on to Shanghai. The distance is covered in 5 hours making the overall trip on a par with flying. The train service has the added bonus of views from the window and you can walk around on the train. Early afternoon arrival in Shanghai with a transfer to your hotel.

This afternoon you will have a half day private tour visiting some of Shanghai’s most famous sights. We will start with the Yuyuan Garden located in the heart of the Old City. The garden was established in 1559 by the son of a Ming Dynasty official who spent 20 years building it up in an effort to please his father. Today the garden showcases the architecture of this period with its pavilions, ponds and rock formations.

Surrounding the garden is Old Shanghai, an area that has been a vibrant commercial centre for over a century and which historically very much represented the “Chinese” part of Shanghai in comparison with the more European areas such as the Bund and the French Concession. Your afternoon finishes with a walk down the Bund along which the Huangpu River runs and where stands some of Asia’s finest colonial European architecture. Across the river rises Shanghai’s ultra modern Pudong Financial district whose skyscrapers dwarf the once dominant buildings of the Bund. All in all a superb introduction to Shanghai. Free time in the evening when the bright lights and neon of really bring Shanghai into its own.

➤ Overnight at the Astor House Hotel 3*. Don’t be put off by the 3* rating - this gem of a hotel has a fantastic location at the end of the Bund and offers rare charm and character.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Shanghai - free day to further explore this exciting city:

➤ Itinerary: Today will be a free day to further explore Shanghai. The city is China’s shopping capital and good place to stock up on souvenirs or you can wander the French Concession stopping at cafes or restaurants - another favourite activity! Alternatively we can arrange a trip out to one of the nearby water towns such as Suzhou, Hangzhou or Zhouzhuang all offering a more laid back experience from China’s past. Late afternoon make your own way to the station for an overnight train onto your next destination of Hong Kong.

➤ Overnight on board a sleeper train to Hong Kong.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Arrival Hong Kong - transfer to your hotel and free time:

➤ Itinerary: Midday arrival at Kowloon Station where a guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. After check in free time to start to explore this city state which is still very distinct from Mainland China despite returning from British to Chinese control in 1997. Aside from having one of the worlds most impressive skylines Hong Kong also offers fine food, world class shopping, vibrant nightlife contrasting with tranquil islands dotted with timeless temples and fishing harbours.

➤ Overnight at the Salisbury YMCA 3*. A long time favourite and for good reason as the location is hard to beat for the class of hotel (right next door to the world famous Peninsula Hotel).

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Free day in Hong Kong to continue to explore this amazing city:

➤ Itinerary: A full day in Hong Kong to explore this fabulous city, its famous harbour, the Peak, outlying islands such as Lamma and Lantau, vibrant markets and fantastic entertainment scene. Shopping and food are world class and if you still have any energy left by the end of the day the nightlife is some of the most varied and vibrant in Asia. In short you will have plenty to keep you occupied!

➤ Overnight at the Salisbury YMCA 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Free time your departure from Hong Kong:

➤ Itinerary: Free time until making your own way from your hotel to the airport for your flight out of the city. The easiest way to get to the airport is by taxi which your hotel can arrange. There is also an efficient airport bus service or you can use the Airport Express trains. See our Trip guidebook or ask your hotel for full details.  

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

 ✘ International flight tickets are not included in this itinerary. We can arrange these for you if you wish.

 ✔ Beijing to Shanghai second class (5 hour bullet train)
 ✔ Shanghai to Hong Kong soft sleeper class (18 hour overnight trip) 1 berth each in a 4 berth cabin

 ✔ 3 nights Beijing - Days Inn Forbidden City 3* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night Shanghai - Astor House Hotel 3* (deluxe room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night overnight sleeper train Shanghai to Hong Kong (shared 4 berth soft sleeper cabin)
 ✔ 2 nights Hong Kong - Salisbury YMCA 3* (Standard room with breakfast)

 ✔ Beijing - Airport to Hotel
 ✔ Shanghai - Train Station to Hotel
 ✔ Hong Kong - Train Station to Hotel

 ✔ Beijing - Full day private tour to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs.
 ✔ Shanghai - Half day private tour to the Yuyuan gardens, Old City and Bund.

 ✔ Meals - As indicated in the itinerary.
 ✔ Support - Emergency numbers and contacts for each destination.
 ✔ Guidebook - Our exclusive Trip Guidebook personalised to your trip.
 ✔ Financial Peace of Mind - All monies paid to us are legally protected under UK law.

✘ International Airfare to and from China (we can book these flights on request).
✘ The Chinese visa (we can advise as to how best obtain this visa).
✘ Travel insurance to cover medical treatment in China.
✘ Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides.